British food is often thought to be boring and uninteresting – maybe not so much now, but certainly in ‘the olden days’. I’m sure it may have been true sometimes, but I am positive it was completely untrue for most people! my grandma in the 19320’s, who came from a very humble background and left school at thirteen, always used garlic in her roast lamb (maybe it was mutton then!) My dad was sent out to collect watercress fresh from some secret spring or stream, and the family were so fussy about sausages, they bought them from two different butcher’s shops so each person could have their preferred banger!

here is an inventive recipe from the 1930’s, from the National Mark Calendar of Cooking… it sounds a little strange, maybe the name is deceptive, but it may have been tasty!

Egg and potato casserole

1 egg per person

¾ lb cooked potatoes (per 3 people) rubbed through a sieve

¼ oz flour

1 oz grated cheese per person

made mustard

salt and pepper

chopped parsley

1 tbsp breadcrumbs (per 3 people)

7 tbsp milk (per 3 people)

butter

mix the breadcrumbs and cheese and set aside

melt the butter, stir in the flour cook for a few minutes, then add milk and cook for a further 5 mins stirring so it doesn’t go lumpy

add the sieved potato and mix well, adding more milk if necessary

line a well-buttered gratin dish with the potato mixture and sprinkle with the parley

break eggs into potato lined dish, dot with butter and sprinkle with crumbs and cheese